Artistic prints made by the well-known procedures of etching, engraving, lithography are essentially flat and two-dimensional. The artist produces an original work on a flat hard metal or stone surface, and a printer makes a series of substantially identical direct impressions from such surface, bearing the imprint of the artist. However, heretofore artistic prints having a three-dimensional surface texture have not been possible. Reproductions of paintings and sculpture by other means do not involve the artist and lack originality.
The present invention provides a new technique whereby the artist works on a moldable-waxy surface to create a three-dimensional picture or composition, which is then converted into a corresponding metallic mold. Editions of three-dimensional substantially identical prints can be obtained by contacting the mold with the sheet material to be printed in a printing press, whereby the original artistic touch is retained.